Machine for operating upon soles



Oct. 5, 1954 Filed April 28 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet l lnweniar I /5/ AlfrcdS. Cla m Oct. 5, 1954 A. s. CLARK MACHINE FOR GPERATING UPON sows 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, .1949

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Oct. 5, 1954 A. s. CLARK MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Filed April 28, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 fiwentor Alfzfed S. Clar Oct. 5, 1954 s, LARK 2,690,574

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPDN SOLES Filed April 28, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 V Y Y Get. 5, 1954 5, CLARK 2,690,574

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Filed April 28, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ma A64 22 Al/i'ed J. Clark Oct. 5, 1954 CL 2,690,574-

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPQN SOLES Filed April 28, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet e Inventor Alfred J. Clark,

I Oct. 5, 1954 s, CLARK MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed April 28, 1949 Inventor I Alfred 5 Clark Patented Oct. 5, 1954 PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Alfred S. Clark, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application April 28, 1949, Serial No. 90,057

32 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operat ing upon soles and, more specifically, upon reinforced ribbed insoles for use in welt shoes, the machine illustrated herein being particularly adapted to cut and completely detach the opposite end portions of the rib and the reinforcing material from the heel portion of a reinforced ribbed insole forwardly to about the heel breast line of the insole.

In the manufacture of economy and similar types of channeled ribbed insoles adapted for use in welt shoes, the channeling operation for forming the sewing rib usually starts and terminates a considerable distance rearwardly of the heel breast line of the insole so that, when the channel flaps are turned upwardly and secured together to form the rib, the end portions of the rib extend rearwardly of the heel breast line at the opposite margins of the insole different distances into the heel seat portion of the insole. Moreover, when the insole is reinforced either with an all-over reinforcement of fabric material, such as canvas or Gem duck, or with fabric strips which reinforce only the rib and the adjacent body portion of the insole at the opposite margins thereof, the reinforcing material likewise extends a substantial distance rearwardly of the heel breast line of the insole into its heel seat portion. These opposite end portions of the rib and the reinforcing material which extend rearwardly of the heel breast line are of no use and, if left there, interfere with operations to be performed later on the shoe, such as the heel seat lasting operation and the welting or inseaming operation. I-Ieretofore, these opposite end portions of the rib rearwardly of the heel breast line have been trimmed off, if at all, by hand with the aid of a knife or other cutting tool, this practice, however, being unsatisfactory because of the damage sometimes caused to the insoles by the operator and also because of the lack of uniformity in results. Moreover, this cutting operation is difficult when performed by hand and usually takes considerable time which increases the cost of the shoe besides slowing up production. Furthermore, when this operation is performed manually with a knife, the reinforcing material covering the body portion of the insole adjacent to the opposite rib portions is not always completely severed and detached from the insole but only the fabric material reinforcing the inner sides of the rib portions is actually removed. In other Words, it is difiicult to detach the reinforcing material which lies flat upon the body portion of the insole adjacent to the opposite rib portions manually with a knife without damaging the insole and, consequently, this reinforcing material is not always removed, thereby leaving a rough or uneven heel seat portion on the insole. As indicated above, the operator does not always sever the opposite rib portions accurately at the heel breast line of the insole and, accordingly, the insoles often vary in this respect either with regard to different insoles or the opposite margins of the same insole.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine for operating upon soles constructed and arranged to cut and detach from the ribbed face of a reinforced ribbed insole the opposite end portions of the rib and the reinforcing material which extend rearwardly of the heel breast line of the insole into the heel seat portion thereof.

To the accomplishment of this object, the invention provides, in accordance with one of its features, an improved machine for operating upon soles provided with means for supporting a reinforced ribbed insole with its ribbed face exposed, a knife for making a cut heightwise of the insole through the opposite end portions of the rib and the reinforcing material at about the heel breast line of the insole, and means for severing said reinforcing material and opposite end portions from the heel portion of the insole in substantially the plane of said ribbed surface forwardly at least to the heel breast line, thereby completely detaching the rib portions and reinforcing material from the heel portion of the insole rearwardly of said heel breast line. As herein illustrated, the knife and severing means are oscillated at substantial angles to each other and in predetermined timed relation to effect the detaching operation, means being provided for actuating said members in fixed diagonal or oblique paths to cause them to cut with a slicing or shearing action, thereby to insure that they will out completely through the materials to be detached from the insole.

The supporting means, as illustrated herein, is movable heightwise in order to position the ribbed insole relatively to the cutting means irrespective of the thickness of the insole and further means, in the form of a holddown or abutment, is provided for locating the movable support heightwise with respect to the oscillating cutting means, the abutment also serving to clamp the insole upon the support to hold it in position during the cutting operation. A gage, associated with the movable support, is provided for locating the insole longitudinally relatively to the knives, the gage, as herein illustrated, being adjustable lengthwise of the insole relatively to the support to accommodate insoles of different sizes.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the illustrated machine is provided with means for oscillating the knife and severing means in predetermined timed relation to each other, said oscillating means being adjustable to vary the relative timing of the knife and severing means as desired. The machine also includes a one-revolution clutch for driving the oscillating means and is further provided with single means for first moving the support heightwise to clamp the insole thereon and for thereafter tripping the clutch, said single means thus insuring that the insole will be clamped upon the support before the clutch is tripped.

The above and other features of the invention, including novel details of construction and combinations of parts will now be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine with parts broken away or in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevation of the knives of the machine operating upon an insole, the vertical knife being shown at the end of its cutting movement;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the knives with the horizontal knife located at the end of its operative movement;

Fig, 6 is an enlarged vertical section through the knives and the supporting mechanism when the knives are located in their retracted. or inoperative position, an insole being shown on the support;

Fig. '7 is a vertical section through the knives operating upon the insole with the knives located in the position shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section similar to Fig. '7 when the horizontal knife has completed its operative movement as shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line IXIX of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line X-X of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9, the mechanism being separated and moved apart at an intermediate portion to show details more clearly;

Fig. 12 is a vertical section of the clutch mechanism taken on the line XII-XII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 14 is a horizontal section taken on the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged plan view showing details of the gage mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 16 is a front elevation of the gage mechanism with portions of the machine shown in section;

Fig. 1'7 is a longitudinal section of the gage adjusting mechanism taken on the line XVII XVII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the rear portion of a reinforced ribbed insole before it has been operated upon by the present machine;

Fig. 19 is a perspective view, similar to Fig. 18, after the insole has been operated upon by the machine; and

Fig. 20 is an enlarged perspective view of the right-hand margin of the insole shown in Fig. 19.

The machine of the present invention is adapted to cut and completely detach, from the heel portion of a reinforced ribbed insole, the reinforcing material and the opposite end portions of the rib which extend rearwardly of the heel breast line of the insole, thereby providing the insole with a smooth level heel seat which will improve the heel seat lasting operation on the shoe, and also terminating the opposite end por- Cil tions of the sewing rib at substantially the heel breast line of the insole, which will greatly facilitate and improve the welting or inseaming operation on the shoe because the operator will be able to start and finish such operation at precisely the right points at the opposite margins of the shoe bottom.

The machine is a bench type machine provided with a substantially rectangular base 24 upon which are secured by screws upstanding brackets or frame members 26, 28 (Figs. 2 and 3) which carry the operating instrumentalities of the machine. These instrumentalities comprise a vertical knife 38, a horizontal knife 32, a work support or table Ca l and a holddown or abutment 355. The abutment 36 is fixed relatively to the knives and work support and the latter is elevated, as will be later explained. to move the insole against the abutment and thereby clamp the insole on the support, this movement positioning the insole heightwise relatively to the knives irrespective of the thickness of the insole.

The abutment 35, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is mounted in a vertical guideway 38 formed in a rectangular projection 30 on the bracket 26, the abutment being adjustably secured in the guideway by a screw 4! passing through a vertical slot in the abutment. The abutment 36 is adjusted heightwise in the projection 40 by a thumb screw G2 threaded into the member 40 and having a eripheral groove therein which engages a slotted arm 44 projecting inwardly from the upper end of the abutment. The heightwise position of the abutment has a direct relation to the positions of the knives 30, 32 since the abutment locates the insole relatively to the knives. The lower end of the abutment is provided with teeth 43 to cause it to grip the insole and hold it firmly on the sup port 35.

The vertical knife 39, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, is adjustably secured by binding screws 46 to the front of a horizontal carrier bar 48 (Fig. 2) pivotally mounted by stud screws 58 on the lower ends of a pair of parallel arms or levers 52, 54. The arm 52 is rotatably mounted on a pin 56 secured by a set screw in a boss 58 projecting to the right, as viewed from the front of the machine, from the bracket 26. The arm 54 is secured by a taper pin 59 to the front end of a rock shaft 60 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) rotatably mounted in a boss 62 projecting to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, from the bracket 26, the rear portion of the rock shaft being supported in bosses 64 and 66 formed, respectively on the brackets 26 and 28. This parallel or four bar linkage arrangement of the arms 52, 5 causes the vertical knife 36 to be swung downwardly obliquely in a curved or arcuate path extending transversely of the machine from the retracted position shown in Fig. 1, into the operated position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7 to effect its cutting operation, thereby causing the knife to operate with a slicing or shearing action upon the insole, the oscillation of the knife being in a fixed predetermined path relatively to the abutment 36 and the work clamped thereby on the support 34.

The vertical knife 30 is positioned heightwise on the carrier bar 48 relatively to the arms 52, 54 by means of a pair of headed screws 58 and 10 (Fig. 4) threaded into the upper side of the bar 48 and adjustable relatively thereto, the heads of the screws serving as stops against which the upper edge of a knife may be moved after loosening the binding screws 4.6.. in this way the vertical knife 38 may :be adjusted :accurately relatively to the ribbed face of the insole upon which it "acts, the screws '46 passing through slots in the knife to :permit this adjustment.

In order to support the opposite :end portions of the rib on the reinforced ribbed insole adjacent to the vertical knife during the cutting operation and thereby permit such portions to be slashed effectively by the knife, a rib supporting member or foot is provided in the form of an elongated horizontal bar 12 provided at its lower edge with teeth 14 which, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, point toward the left as viewed from the front of the machine. The supporting foot i2 is carried by the abutment 36 by means of a forwardly extending rib on the foot located in a transverse slot '85 formed in the lower portion of the abutment, the foot being secured in the slot by a screw 16, as shown in F 2. 4 and 6. The inner surface of the supporting foot '52 is located closely adjacent to the forward face of the vertical knife 30. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, when a reinforced ribbed insole A of the type referred to for use in the manufacture of welt shoes, is positioned on the support 3 3 and is clamped thereon by the abutment- 3 5 through elevation of the support, the supporting foot 12 will engage the opposite end portions of the rib R, and, by reason of the teeth Mi on the foot, will prevent these rib portions from bending downwardly under the action of the vertical knife 30 as the latter swings in an arc downwardly and toward the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and i, to perform its cutting operation. The sup-porting foot 72, however, does not press upon the opposite end portions of the rib, but merely rests upon them with sufiicient pressure to cause the teeth M to engage the upper edges of the ribs and prevent them from being bent downwardly under the cutting action of the vertical knife, this support of the rib portions by the foot '52 being more effective, of course, on tie left-hand rib portion, as viewed in Fig. 4, than on the right-hand portion because the left-hand portion normally slants inwardly toward the right and would thus have a natural tendency to bend inwardly and downwardly under the action of the knife, the path of which extends obliquely downwardly from left to right.

As shown in Figs. 4 to 3, inclusive, and also in Figs. 18, 19 and 20, the reinforced ribbed insole A, illustrated herein as being operated upon by the present machine, is a conventional channeled insole having a two-ply sewing rib R formed on its outer surface by the inner and outer channel flaps which are turned up and secured together in the manner usual in the manufacture of welt insoles, the inner side of the rib R and the adjacent portion of the ribbed face S of the insole, including the inside channel (3, being reinforced with a strip of fabric material F, such as canvas or Gem duck, the reinforcing material covering the inside channel C and overlying a portion of the ribbed face S of the insole body upwardly of the channel. The outer margin of the reinforcing material F extends upwardly upon the inner side of the rib R and terminates substantialy flush with the top of the rib.

As illustrated in Fig. 18, the end portions of the rib R, at the opposite margins of the insole usually extend rearwardly a substantial distance into the heel seat portion of the insole before the insole is operated upon by the :present machine and the reinforcing material F, if the insole has been reinforced at that time, likewise extends into the heel portionat least as far as the rib portions and sometimes farther. Consequently, the heel portion of the insole, rearwardly of the heel breast line, the latter being indicated in Fig. 18 by the broken line H, contains both the opposite end portions of the rib R and the reinforcing material F which, as stated, covers the inner side of the rib R. It is these excess reinforcing and rib materials which it is desired to cut away or detach from the heel seat portion of the insole forwardly to about the heel breast line in order to obtain a smooth heel seat on the insole as well as a definite termination of the opposite end portions of the rib R at about the heel breast line, thereby permitting a better heel seat lasting oporation to be performed on the shoe and also contributing to the formation of better or more uniform joints at the opposite sides of the finished shoe.

Before describing mechanism associated with the rock shaft 50 for oscillating the vertical knife 30 in the oblique or arcuate path referred to, the horizontal knife 32 will be described. As stated above, the horizontal knife 32 is adapted to sever the opposite end portions of the rib R and the reinforcing material F from the heel portion of the insole A in substantially the plane of the ribbed face S forwardly at least to the heightwise cut made by the vertical knife 39 at the heel breast line of the insole, the horizontal knife, however, preferably passing beyond the heightwise cut to insure that the opposite end portions of the rib and reinforcing material are completely severed or detached from the insole. As illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the horizontal knife 32 is adjustably fastened by binding screws 18 and 89 to a transverse bar or carrier 82 arranged to be oscillated forwardly and rearwardly in a horizontal plane by a pair of parallel levers or arms 34, 86 pivotally connected to the carrier by pins 38 and 99, the arms entering slots (Fig. 5) formed in the rear portion of the carrier and the upper surface of the carrier engaging a hardened steel plate 92 (Fig. 2) provided on the bracket 26 to guide and support the carrier during its oscillating movement. The horizontal knife may be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly of the carrier 82 by means of counterbored slots 94 and as (Fig. 5) provided in the carrier and set screws 98, N39, bearing against the binding screws 78, 8G and positioning them in the slots 94, 96.

e The inner end of the horizontal arm is pivotally connected by a pin 192 (Fig. 3) to a boss on the bracket 26 and the horizontal arm or lever 84 is similarly pivoted on a vertical pin m4 (Figs. 2 and 3) between a pair of alined bosses 166, m8 formed on the bracket 25, the lever 84 having a rearwardly extending arm I H) which is connected by a universal joint H2 to a transverse link lid (Fig. 9) which, in turn, is connected by a universal joint M6 to the lower arm N8 of a lever I20 (Figs. 9 and 11) rotatably mounted on the rock shaft Bil. The upper end of the lever 129 is bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 11, and has a pin I22 extending between its arms and secured therein by a set screw I26. Pivoted on the pin 122 is an arm [26 which extends laterally toward the right (as viewed in Figs. 9 and ll) and is rotatable on a stud i223 secured by a set screw 43?) in an eccentric or crank I32, the other end of the crank being fastened by a tapered pin :34 to a shaft I36 which forms the driving shaft of the present machine. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the driving shaft I36 is rotatably mounted in an elongated bearing I38 formed on the bracket 28. The shaft extends rearwardly and near its rearward end carries a pulley or flywheel I60 which is driven continuously from any usual source of power, such as a motor, by a belt I42, the pulley I40 being retained on the shaft by a hand wheel I46 secured to the end of the shaft by a taper pin I45. Forwardly of the puliey, the shaft I36 carries a clutch, indicated generally in Figs. 2, 3 and 12 by the numeral hi6, and adapted to be tripped to rotate the shaft I36 in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the front of the machine, by a treadle rod I48 (Figs. 1 and 2) through the depression of a treadle I49 pivoted to a fixed bracket II in the usual manner.

The clutch I46, as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 12, comprises a conventional pin clutch arrangement modified somewhat in the present case to cause it to operate as a single-stroke or one-revolution clutch rather than continuously if the treadle should remain depressed, as is usual with conventional pin clutch constructions. The pulley or flywheel I is provided with a hollow hub portion I 50 (Fig. 3) in which is mounted a plurality of forwardly extending, equally spaced projections or pins I52, usually four, through which the pulley is operatively connected to the driving shaft I36 to rotate said shaft. Rotatably mounted inside the hub I50 is a collar or sleeve I 56 which, for-war ly of the hub, has a shoulder I56 of larger diameter and is pinned to the shaft I35 by a pin I58, the sleeve being reduced again in diameter forwardly of the shoulder to form a hub portion I60 from which a segment I62 (Fig. 12) is removed. Mounted on the hub IE6 is a semi-circular wedge piece I63 which is usual in pin clutch constructions and through the agency of which the clutch is tripped, the wedge I64 being movable axially on the shaft I36 and having a segmental projection thereon which enters the segment I62 removed from the hub I60 to keep the wedge alined with the sleeve I54. The lefthand portion I65 of the wedge I64, as viewed in Fig. 12, tapers to a thin edge and the wedge has secured therein by a pin or set screw I67 a horizontal driving pin I66 which passes rearwardly through a hole in the sleeve I56 and has a flattened inner end for engaging any one of the four pins I52 in the hub I50 of the pulley and thereby connecting the shaft I36 to the pulley to rotate the shaft. is normally urged rearwardly toward the pulley by a compression spring I66 seated in a hole in the sleeve I54 which breaks into the hole through which the driving pin slides, the inner end of the spring engaging a small pin I70 projecting from the driving pin into the hole containing the spring.

The foregoing construction is substantially like that of a conventional pin clutch which will operate continuously if the treadle I46 remains depressed but will function as a single-stroke or one-revolution clutch if the treadle is released after it has been fully depressed. The wedge I64 is normally cammed forwardly to hold the driving pin I66 away from the four projections I52 by a vertical rod I72 which is mounted for heightwise movement in bearings I74, I76 (Fig. 12) provided on the bracket 28 and is urged upwardly by a spring I78 to move the upper end of the rod between the shoulder I56 on the sleeve I56 and The pin I56 the wedge I64, thereby holding the driving pin I66 out of engagement with the projections I52, the spring I78 being connected at its lower end to a block I76 pinned to the rod I72 and, at its upper end, to an ear I80 secured by a screw I82 to the bearing I76 on the bracket 28. The upper position of the rod I72 is determined by the block I79 which abuts against the lower bearing I76, as shown in Fig. 12, this position locating the upper end of the rod slightly below the reduced hub portion I60 of the sleeve I54. Movement of the rod I72 downwardly from between the shoulder I56 and the wedge I64 permits the spring I 65 to force the wedge and driving pin I66 rearwardly to move the pin into position to be engaged by one of the projections I52, which are rotating with the pulley I40, thereby causing the sleeve I55 and driving shaft I36 to rotate. Release of the rod I72, as for example, by release of the treadle I49, causes the spring I78 to move the rod upwardly again into the space between the shoulder I56 and wedge I64. As the wedge rotates, however, its tapered portion I65 engages the rod I72 and earns the wedge forwardly to withdraw the pin I66 from engagement with the projections I52 and thereby disconnect the clutch from the driving shaft I36. In the usual pin clutch arrangement, if the rod I72 is released immediately after the clutch is tripped, the clutch operates as a single revolution clutch but if the rod is held down, as by continued depression of the treadle, the clutch functions as a cOntinuously operating clutch until the treadle is released.

The rod I72 is moved downwardly to trip the clutch by depression of the treadle I49 which lowers the rod I40, the latter being connected at its upper end by a pin I66 (Fig. 2) to the rearward end of a lever I 86 fulcrumed at its forward end on a pin I36 fastened in lugs in the base 24. The treadle and treadle rod are normally maintained in their elevated positions by a spring I 90 secured to a collar I92 fastened to the treadle rod and to a pin I94 in the base 24. At its rearward end, the lever I05 has connected thereto, by a universal joint I66, a latch I98 which, as illustrated in Fig. 12, extends upwardly beyond the shaft I 36 and has formed at its upper portion a lateral projection or flange 200 which bears against the shoulder I56 of the sleeve I54. The latch I96 is provided with a projection or shoulder 202 which, when the latch is moved downwardly by the lever I86 through depression of the treadle I 49 is arranged to engage a block 264 secured to the rod I72 by a set screw 206, thereby moving the rod downwardly to withdraw it from between the shoulder I56 and the wedge I64. The latch I98 is normally urged upwardly and toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 12, into engagement with the sleeve I50 by a spring 208 connected at one end to the latch and at its other end to the ear I80 previously referred to. The latch is guided in its swinging movement toward and away from the sleeve I54 by a guide member 2I0 secured to the bearing I74 by the screw I82 (Fig. 12) and having two horizontal arms between which the latch moves.

The shoulder portion I56 of the sleeve I54 has secured thereto by a screw 2I2 (Fig. 2) a wedgeshaped, segment or cam 2! which, as illustrated in Fig. 12, tapers from a thin edge at one end to a relatively thick portion at its opposite end and is somewhat less than a semicircle in length. When the clutch I46 has been tripped and the shaft I36 is rotating in a clockwise direction, as

accen i.

viewed in Fig. 12, the cam 2h! will rotate into engagement with the lateral flange 200 on the latch I98 and move the latch outwardly, or toward the left as viewed in Fig. 12, thereby releasing the shoulder 292 from the block 204- and permitting the rod I12 to be elevated by the spring I78 to return the upper end of the rod into position between the shoulder I59 and the wedge I64. The tapered portion I65 of the wedge thereupon engages the rod I72 and cams the clutch pin I66 forwardly out of engagement with the projections I52 on the pulley I49, thereby disconnecting the driving shaft I36 from the pulley. It will be seen from the foregoing that the present construction, by withdrawing the rod I12 from the clutch indirectly through the latch I98, instead of directly by the treadle I49, permits the treadle to remain depressed without causing the clutch to repeat or to run continuously because the cam 222 will throw the latch I98 out of operation upon each revolution of the shaft I36 and thereby permit the rod I12 to raise and disconnect the clutch from, operative engagement with the shaft I36. Consequently, the present clutch constitutes, in effect, a. singlestroke or one-revolution clutch whether or not the treadle remains depressed. Upon release of the latch I98 during each revolution of the driving shaft I36, the spring I99 acts to return the treadle M9, the lever I86 and the latch I98 to their normal elevated positions illustrated in Figs. 2 and 12.

The latch I98 is provided with an inclined sure face 2I6 above the shoulder 202 which, when the latch is knocked off the block 294 by the cam 2M, rides upwardly past a rounded surface on the block and thus permits the shoulder 202 to pass upwardly beyond the block into a position to engage the block and trip the clutch again upon the next depression of the treadle I49. As illustrated in Fig. 12, the shoulder 292 is normally positioned a short distance above the block 204 on the rod I'I2 so that the treadle rod I48 must be moved downwardly a predetermined distance by depression of the treadle before the shoulder 292 will engage the block 204 and move the rod I12 downwardly away from the clutch. This lost motion allows the treadle I49 to actuate further mechanism on the machine before the clutch is tripped, thereby permitting both mechanisms to be operated in timed relation to each other by a single treadle.

The further mechanism actuated by the treadle Hi9 comprises mechanism for elevating the work support or table 34 to cause the insole resting thereon to be engaged by the abutment 36 and thus hold or clamp the insole on the support while being operated upon by the knives 39, 32 as well as positioning the insole heightwise relatively to the knives. The elevation of the support 32 by the treadle I49 before the clutch is tripped involves yielding mechanism which may best be explained in connection with the work support 3 Accordingly, this mechanism will be described in connection with the work support after the operation of the knives 30, 32 has been fully explained.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive, the crank I32 secured to the driving shaft I35 will be rotated in a clockwise direction upon actuation of the clutch hi5. Accordingly, the stud I28 in the crank 532 will revolve in a clockwise direction about the axis of the shaft I39 toactuatethe arm I25 and thus oscillate the lever I29 laterally upon the rock shaft (iii. The lever I29,

through the link H4, will swing the horizontal lever III! first in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, and then in the opposite direction, thereby actuating the parallel arms 84, 86 and oscillating the horizontal knife 32 in substantially the plane of the work and in a predetermined oblique or arcuate path relatively to the insole on the support 34. As stated above, the horizontal knife 32 is backed up during its oscillating movement by the plate 92 which engages th upper side of the carrier 82. Preferably, the knife 32 is inclined on a slight angle, for example, 2 to the horizontal, to facilitate its cutting action.

The parallel arms 52, 54 (Figs. 1 and 4) which actuate the vertical knife 30, are operated by oscillation of the rock shaft 60 through a lever 2H (Figs. 10 and 11) secured to the rock shaft by a taper pin 220. The upper end of the lever 2I9 carries a shoulder screw 222 fastened therein by a nut 224 and having pivotally mounted thereon a laterally extending arm 226 which, at its opposite end, is rotatably mounted on a shaft 228 secured by a set screw 239 in an eccentric or crank 232, the opposite end of the crank having a short shaft 234 formed thereon which projects forwardly in alinement with the driving shaft 532 and is rotatably mounted in a bearing 23% (Figs. 2 and 3) formed on the bracket 28. It will be seen from the foregoing, that the bifurcated lever I20, which actuates the horizontal knife 32, is rotatable upon the rock shaft 66 and oscillates freely thereon, whereas the lever 218, which actuates the vertical knife 59, is pinned to the rock shaft and consequently oscillates this shaft to actuate the vertical knife through the parallel arms 52 and 54, the latter of which is pinned to the rock shaft by the pin 59.

The knife actuating mechanism is adjusted in the following manner. The stud I23 (Fig. 11), which is secured in the rear crank I32 by the set screw I39, extends through the lateral arm I26 and has a reduced forward portion 238 which is rotatable in a block 24%! arranged for movement between parallel arms formed on a bifurcatedmember 242 secured upon the inner end of the shaft 228 between the lateral arms I26 and 225 by a set screw 243. The bifurcated member 242 has a screw 245 threaded through the outer ends of its parallel arms which may be tightened to clamp the block 249 in different positions between these arms. This adjustment of the block 248 inthe bifurcated member 252 changes the angular positions of rotation of the eccentrics or cranks I32, 232 relatively to each other and consequently changes the relative angular positions of the axes I28, 228, carried respectively by the cranks I32, 232 and upon which the lateral arms I26 and 225 are rotatably mounted. It also changes the positions of these two axes with respect to the driving shaft I36 and the alined shaft 234, about which the cranks themselves rotate. This adjustment, therefore, controls or varies the timing of the strokes or throws of the lateral arms I26, 226 relatively to each other and thus controls the timing of the relative operation of the knives 39 and 32. After an adjust ment has been made in this mechanism to obtain the desired relative operation of the knives 30 and 32, th screws 24-3 and 24-5- are tightened:

and the mechanism is ready to operate. Rotation of the driving shaft I35 by the clutch in a clock-wise direction as viewed. from the front of. the machine, rotates the crank I32 about the axis of the shaft I36 and, through the arm I26,

oscillates the lever iZi) on the rock shaft SB, thereby operating the horizontal knife through the mechanism previously described. The bifurcated member 242, through the reduced end 232 of the stud l28 rotatable in the block 246, is caused to revolve with the crank i32 around the shaft i3 5 and thereby cause the shaft 228 to revolve about this same axis but in a different timed relation to the revolution of the stud 28 about said axis, revolution of the shaft 228 about the axis, of course, operating the other lateral arm 22%, this crank shaft mechanism being compieted by the forward crank 232, in which the shaft 228 is fastened, and the short shaft 234 on this crank which rotates in the forward bearing The revolution of the arm 2228 around the axis of the shaft 38 in a different timed relation to the revolution of the rearward arm $26 about such axis, causes the lever 2i8, which is pinned to the rock shaft 6%, to oscillate said rock shaft and actuate the forward arm 54 thereon, thereby causing the parallel arms 54, 52 to swing in the proper direction and timed relation with respect to the horizontal knife 32 to cause the vertical knife 36 to be oscillated heightwise in an oblique arcuate path extending downwardly from left to right to perform its cutting operation, the cutting action, as stated above, being a slicing or shearing action to facilitate cutting through the opposite end portions of the rib It and the reinforcing material F substantially down to the exposed ribbed face S of the insole or deeper if desired.

The foregoing arrangement it will be noted constitutes, in effect, a double crank construction with adjusting means embodied therein for varying at will the relative eccentricity or throw of the cranks with respect to each other without disassembling the mechanism and thereby control the operation of the knives 3i] and 32 with respect to the timing of their cutting movements relatively to each other. After a desired adjustment of the block 268 in the bifurcated member 2 32 has been made and the binding screws 243, 266 in the member 2 32 have been tightened, the mechanism operates as a solid crank about the axis of the driving shaft I3 3. As stated, the lateral arm I23 oscillates the lever I20 upon the rock shaft 66 whereas the arm 226 oscillates the rock shaft 80 itself which actuates the forward parallel arms 54, 52 and thus oscillates the vertical knife 33.

Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, illustrate the relative positions of the knives 3i and 222 during one complete cycle of the machine with the knives set in accordance with one adjustment of the crank mechanism described above. As shown in Fig. 6 the knives 3E}, 32 are initially located in their in operative or retracted positions and the heel portion of he insole A has been positioned on the support or table 3-1, as will be later explained, with its ribbed face S exposed and ready to be operated upon. The support 3 3 has been elevated, in a manner to be hereinafter described, to move the insole into engagement with the stationary abutment 3t and thus clamp the insole upon the support, the teeth 43 on the abutment and the knurling 246 on the support 34 preventing the insole from slipping during the cutting operation. The operator trips the clutch [46 by depressing the treadle ME: thereby causing the machine to operate through one cycle only. The vertical knife 38 descends obliquely from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Figs. 4 and 7, thereby cutting heightwise through the opis posite end portions of the rib R and the reinforcing material F at approximately the heel breast line of the insole, the position of the insole on the support 34 determining the exact position of this cut lengthwise of the insole, as will be later explained.

The vertical knife actually travels in a transverse are from left to right as it moves downwardly and thus has a slicing or shearing effect upon the insole as it cuts transversely through the opposite rib portions and reinforcing material at about the heel breast line of the insole. The supporting mechanism can be adjusted so the cut made by the vertical knife will terminate substantially at the ribbed face S of the insole or, if desired, will extend slightly below or into said face. This insures that the materials to be severed from the heel seat portion of the insole will be out completely through by the vertical knife. As illustrated in Figs. 4 and '7 the vertical knife 38 has cut diagonally through the opposite end portions of the rib R and the reinforcing material F downwardly to a plane slightly below the ribbed face S of the insole, thereby insuring that the fibers of the materials, particularly the leather fibers of the opposite rib portions, have been out completely through down to the ribbed face S. The heightwise out can, however, be made to terminate substantially at, or in the plane of, the ribbed face S if desired, for example, if the insole is composed of material less fibrous than leather, such as artificial leather, plastic, fabric, paper or the like.

It will be noted in Fig. 7 that, when the vertical knife 30 has completed its downward stroke, the horizontal knife 32 has simultaneously moved forwardly relatively to the heel end of the insole in substantially the plane of the ribbed face S so that it is located in a position just behind the vertical knife when the latter completes its downward movement. The timing of the cutting operations in the present machine is preferably so close that the vertical knife 3!) just starts to withdraw from the insole at the time that the horizontal knife 32 meets and passes the heightwise out, the action, of course, being very rapid. This close timing of the relative cutting actions of the knives can be obtained in the present machine by the fine adjustments permitted in the crank mechanism by the adjusting mechanism described above. It should be also mentioned that the cutting edges of the knives 3i and 32, although quite wide, are parallel to each other at all times during the cutting operation.

The horizontal knife 32, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 8, is preferably adjusted on its carrier 82 so that it passes somewhat beyond the heightwise cut made by the vertical knife 39 and thus insures that the opposite end portions of the rib R and the reinforcing material F rearwardly of the heel breast line of the insole will be completely detached or separated therefrom, thereby eliminating the possibility of leaving portions of the ribs or reinforcing material partially attached to the insole so that it would be necessary to complete the separation of the materials by hand with a knife or scissors after the insole had been operated upon by the machine. The fact that the cutting edge of the vertical knife is just leaving its out in the insole as the parallel cutting edge of the horizontal knife passes through or intersects this cut, not only accelerates the operation of the machine but produces an excellent cutting operation because the materials are partially supported by the knives as well as by the usual supporting elements of the machine when the relative actions of the knives are timed as close as they are in the present machine. The oscillation of the knives 3t, 32 by the actuating mechanism is quite rapid so that the oblique slicing action of the knives will be as effective as possible or, in other words, so that it will imitate the motion of cutting the materials by hand with a knife. Figs. '7 and 8 illustrate the detachment of the opposite end portions of the rib R and the reinforcing material F from the heel seat portion of the insole A forwardly to about the heel breast line H by the two knives 3i and 32 and Figs. 19 and 20 show how the insole will appear after these materials have been detached and removed from the heel portion of the insole.

The support or table 34 is moved upwardly to bring the insole into engagement with the stationary abutment 38 in the following manner. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the support 34 is carried on the upper end of a rectangular post 248 which is mounted for heightwise movement in a housing 256 projecting forwardly from the base 24, the bottom of the housing being closed by a plate 252 and its front wall having a rectangular opening 25 (Fig. 1) formed at its lower end. The lower end of the post 253, as shown in Fig. 2, is inclined upwardly from front to rear at an angle of about 15 to the horizontal and rests upon the upper face of a correspondingly inclined wedge 25%, the post being normally held downwardly against the wedge by a spring 258 extending between the upper end of the support and a hook 266 fastened to the housing by a screw 2E2.

Movement of the wedge 255 forwardly or toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, will elevate the support 34 to move the insole resting thereon against the abutment 35 and thereby clamp the insole on the support. Movement of the wedge in an opposite direction permits the spring 253 to lower the support at it rides downwardly on the inolined face of the wedge.

The wedge 256 is moved forwardly to elevate the support 35 by the treadle rod 148 through depression of the treadle I49. Pivotally connected to the wedge by a pin 254 is an adjustable rod or link 266 which is pivotally connected at its other end by a pin 258 to a downwardly extending lever m fulcrumed on a horizontal shaft 212 secured in a pair of lugs 27M, 2'56 (Figs. 2, l3 and 14) projecting downwardly from the upper wall of the base 24. The lever 2'10, as illustrated in Fig. 13, is fulcrumed on the shaft 272 next to the lug 27 At the other side of the lever 218 is mounted a bushing or collar 218 having a circular flange 286 on one end equal in diameter to the hub of the lever 219 and provided with a plurality of radially spaced holes 282. A lever 284 is fulcrumed on the shaft 272 between the collar 2'!!! and the lug 2'15, this lever, as shown in Fig. 2, being connected by a pin 286 to a short link 288 which, in turn, is connected by a pin 2% to the treadle-actuated lever I83. Surrounding the collar 278 between the flange 2353 and the lever 284 is a torsion spring 292, one end of which is looped around a pin 294 fixed in the flange 2363, and the other nd of which engages a pin 285 fastened in the lever 2284, thereby tending normally to swing the lever 2534 counterclockwise, as viewed in 2, about the shaft 212 and to rotate the collar 2'58 in the opposite direction. The collar is prevented from turning on the shaft 272 relatively to the lever 219 by a locking pin 29'! inserted through a hole in the lever into one of the spaced holes 282 in the flange 280. The ten- 14- sion of the spring 292 may be adjusted by remov ing the locking pin 29?, turning the collar 218 on the shaft 212 to tighten or loosen the spring and then reinserting the pin through the lever 21!! and into whichever hole in the flange 28! registers with that in the lever.

The forward portion of the lever 28d, as shown in Fig. 14, is bent at right angles to form a laterally extending lug 298 which is arranged to engage a projection or lip 3% formed on the upper portion of the lever 21!]. Normally the spring 292 maintains the lug 298 against the projection 309', as shown in Fig. 2, to cause the mechanism to be rotated as a unit by depression of the treadle I49. However, when the lever 279 is prevented from swinging further in a counterclockwise direction by engagement of the insole on the support M with the abutment 36, the spring 292 yields to permit the lever 284 to continue its counterclockwise movement with the lever I86 until the treadle is fully depressed. Depression of the treadle, therefore, lowers the treadle rod I 38 and, through the mechanism just described, swings the lever 21!} clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, to slide the wedge 255 forwardly or toward the left and thus elevate the support 34 until the insole thereon engages the stationary abutment 36, thereby clamping the insole on the support and positioning the insole heightwise relatively to the knives 33, 32. The wedge 256 will be maintained in its forward position by the increased tension of the spring 292 as the treadle is further depressed acting in conjunction with the relatively small inclination of the wedge. The treadle can thereafter descend further, through the yield in the spring 292, until the treade is depressed sumciently to trip the clutch M5 through the pivoted latch E93, as previously explained. A stop screw 382 (Fig. 2) is provided on a lug on the wedge 255 for engaging the front wall of the base 2 3 to limit forward movement of the wedge if no insole should be mounted on the support as, thereby preventing elevation of the support far enough to damage the knives if the clutch should happen to be tripped when no work was in the machine. As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, fixed aprons 393 are provided at opposite sides of the support 3 to facilitate the introduction of the insoles onto the support, the aprons slanting downwardly away from the support, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The insole A is positioned longitudinally on the support 3 5 by a back gage 3535 which projects upwardly beyond the inner end of the support and is in position to engage the heel end of the insole when the latter is placed on the support heel end first by the operator. The gage 324, as illustrated in Figs. 2, l5 and 16, comprises a substantially vertical plate which is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly of the machine to accom modate insoles of different sizes. The gage is provided with a downwardly extending lug 3% having a horizontal keyway therein whereby the gage can be initially positioned longitudinally on a key 3% provided on a slide 3ft, the gage being secured to the slide by a screw 3 passing through a slot in the lug 3135. The slide 3!!) is slidable on the base 24 beneath a fixed cover plate 312 extending laterally of the sage and provided with a keyway or slot 34 3 which extends lengthwise of the plate and receives a key on the slide 3 l t, thereby guiding the slide forwardly and rearwardly of the support 34. The cover plate 3l2 is secured to the base by screws Sit and is cut away on its lower side to provide clearance for a laterally extending arm Sit on the slide SIB, the arm carrying a pin 320 which projects downwardly through a slot 325 (Fig. 1'7) in the base 24 and has an enlarged head 322 which is arranged to engage and ride in the thread of a screw 324 (Figs. 2 and 17) secured to a shaft 325 by a pin 328. The shaft 325 is rotatable in the base 24 in a forward bearing formed by the base and. a rear bearing 33!! which projects downwardly from the upper wall of the base. The shaft is provided at its forward end with a hand wheel 332 secured thereto by a set screw 334, the hand wheel having a dial 336 with graduated markings th reon to indicate the position of the gage relatively to the support for insoles or diiferent sizes. The shaft 326 also carries a knurled thumb nut 338 secured to the front end of the shaft by a set screw 346 (Fig. 17) and by means of which the initial position of the dial relatively to the shaft 328 and screw 326 for different types of insoles may be determined. The shaft has a reduced inner portion 362 upon which is mounted a compression spring 3%, the spring being seated in a cup nut threaded on the shaft and held in position by a check nut 363. The spring 3 bears against a washer between it and the rear bearing 33!! and urges the shaft 326 rearwardly to maintain the screw 32G firmly against the rear bearing, thereby eliminatin any looseness or play in the adjusting mechanism.

Rotation of the hand wheel 3; will move the gage 38 i forwardly or rearwardly to position the gage longitudinally of the support 34 in accordance with the size of insole being operated upon, the force of the spring maintaining the gage in adjusted position until moved by the operator. The support 3 3, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 15, is provided with a rectangular opening 352 into which the gage may be moved when adjusted forwardly to accommodate the smaller sizes of insoles. Since the knives 38 and 32 are wider than the largest insole to be operated upon, no means is necessary for positioning the insole widthwise of the support, the insole being centralized manually on the support by the operator so that the abutment 36 will always engage the insole between the opposite rib portions R.

In setting the back gage 354 for operating upon different insoles. the gage is first adjusted along the key 398 for the particular type of insole being operated upon. because the position of the heel breast line will vary somewhat in different types of insoles, for example, insoles for mens, womens and childrens shoes or an insole which is to receive one kind of heel compared to another insole of the same size which is to take a different kind of heel. The hand wheel is next set relatively to the shaft 825 for the particular type of insole being operated. upon, this being done by loosening the hand wheel and turning the shaft relatively thereto by the thumb nut 333. The back gage SM is then adjusted forwardly 01' rearwardly by the screw 32:? until the dial indicates that the gage is in the proper position for the particular size of insole being operated upon.

The knives of the present machine operate in predetermined fixed paths with quick positive strokes and it is essential, therefore, that some means he provided for guarding the knives when the machine is operating in order to protect the operator from injury. The rear portion of the machine, including the pulley his and the mechanisms located forwardly thereof are preferably covered by sheet metal hoods which are secured to the base 24 in the usual manner by screws.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a portion of a hood 354 which covers the operating mechanisms located in front of the pulley I40. The mechanism extending forwardly of the hood 354, including the knives 30 and. 32, as illustrated in Fig. 2, are covered in the present machine by a transparent plastic cover or guard 355 which is substantially rectangular in shape and is hinged to the forward side of the hood 354 by a wide hinge 553, the upper wall of the guard 3'56 having an opening therein to permit the head of the thumb screw 42 to project upwardly therethrough. The guard 356 is normally positioned as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 so that it covers the knives 3G, 32 and the operating mechanism adjacent thereto in order to guard this mechanism and prevent injury to the operator, the front wall of the guard being cut back, as shown at 358 in Fig. 1, to provide space for the introduction of the insole onto the support 34. When it is necessary to grind the knives or to make adjustments in the operating mechanisms of the machine, the guard 356 may be swung upwardly on its hinge 353 and be retained in an upwardly extending position by a leaf spring or latch 362 secured to the hood 35%, thereby permitting the operator to make the adjustments.

In order to insure that the operator will not be able to trip the clutch and start the machine when the guard 356 is held in its upper position by the latch 362, the following mechanism is provided. A stationary foot 3% (Figs. 1 and 2) is secured to the upper wall of the guard 35B and projects downwardly inside the guard, as shown in the figures referred to. The lower end of the foot is arranged to engage a downwardly and forwardly inclined surface formed on the front end of a lever 366 secured to a horizontal rod 358 rotatably mounted in bearings provided on the brackets 26 and 28. Secured to the rearward end of the rod 368 by a set screw 3?? is a downwardly extending lever or dog 3E2, the lower end of which is provided with a projection or shoulder 373 as illustrated in Fig. 12. The projection 313 is arranged to swing under the block 264 on the vertical rod I 72, which is retracted by the treadle to trip the clutch H16 so that, when the projection is located under the block 204, the rod ll2 cannot be moved downwardly away from the clutch. The dog 3'12 is urged inwardly into engagement with the block 204 by a spring 3M (Figs. 2 and 3) secured at one end to an arm 376 fastened by a set screw to the rod 368, the spring being secured at its opposite end to a pin 3'18 mounted in a lateral projection 38!! on the bracket 28. The spring tends normally to rotate the rod 368 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. Accordingly, when the guard 356 has been swung downwardly into its operative position, the foot 3%, through its engagement with the lever 366, holds the dog 372 away from the block 264 and thus permits the rod M2 to be withdrawn from the clutch by the treadle rod M8 upon depression of the treadle hi9. However, if the guard 354 has been latched upwardly by the leaf spring 362, or even if the guard has been moved upwardly a short distance by the operator out of its lower operative position, the spring 374 moves the dog 312 under the block 264 and thereby prevents downward movement of the rod I12 and tripping of the clutch until the guard 354 has been swung downwardly again into its operative position.

As stated above, the knives 30 and 32 may be adjusted on their carriers to adapt them for particular types of insoles or to compensate for variations in the knives due to grinding. Ihe paths of movement of the knives are fixed, however, the vertical knife oscillating in a predetermined vertical plane and the horizontal knife 32 oscillating in a predetermined horiaontal plane. In order to set the machine, therefore, for operating upon all insoles irrespective of their thicknesses, the abutment 36 is adjusted heightwise relatively to the horizontal knife 32, this adjustment depending, of course, upon the thickness of the layer of material, if any, which is to be cut or skived from the heel portion of the insole. This adjustment may be readily made by placing an insole upon the support 34, elevating the support until the exposed surface of the heel seat portion of the insole engages the bottom surface of the horizontal knife 32, and then lowering the abutment 36 until it engages the exposed face of the insole. If it is desired to out a thin layer or skiving from the surface of the insole, in addition to the opposite rib portions and reinforcing material, this may be done by elevating the abutment the required amount by the adjusting screw d2 after the thickness of the insole has been measured by the procedure previously explained. The positi 1 of the abutment 36, therefore, determines the thickness of the cut made by the horizontal knife 32 and, since the stroke of the vertical knife 35 is gaged with reference to the position of the horizontal knife, the position of the abutment 36 determines the depth to which the vertical knife will out. After the elements of the machine have been adjusted insoles of all thicknesses be operated upon successively Without any furt er adjustment because each insole will be located in the proper heightwise position relatively to the knives by the abutment 3S. Accordingly, the adjustments need not be changed until a skiving of a different thickness is to be removed from the heel portion of the insole. 'i'he back gage St l, of course, determines the position of the heightwise cut made by the vertical knife til lengthwise of the insole, this cut, as stated, being located approximately at the heel breast line of the insole. Accordingly, one setting of the gage 30 2 may be used for all insoles of a particular size. Although the operation of the machine will be apparent from the foregoing description, a brief summary of its operation will be given here for the purpose of clearmess.

The operator places the heel portion of the reinforced ribbed insole A with its ribbed face S facing upwardly on the forwardly extended portion of the support 3% and he slides the insole rearwardly until its heel end engages the gage 364. He then depresses the treadle Hit which moves the wedge 25% forwardly to elevate the support .i l and move the insole into engagznent with the stationary abutment 35, as illustrated in s, the opposite portions of the sewing rib R adjacent to the heel breast line being engaged by the foot l2 to maintain the ribs in their upstanding position. Further depression of the treadle lowers the treadle rod use further, which is permitted by yielding of the torsion spring 292, to cause the latch 59:3 to engage the block 234 on the vertical rod H2 and withdraw the rod from the clutch see, thereby tripping the clutch to rotate the driving shaft i258, the machine operating through only one complete revolution of the driving shaft itt. Rotation of the shaft lac causes the vertical knife til to be swung downwardly in its predetermined oblic ue path to cut heightwise through the opposite end portions of the rib R and the reinforcing material F at about the heel breast line H of the insole, the mechanism preferably being set as previously described, to make a out which terminates substantially at the ribbed face S of the insole, thereby cutting through the reinforcing material which covers said face and also covers the inner sides of the rib portions. Preferably the heightwise out will terminate a short distance below the ribbed face 6 of the insole, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and '7, to insure cutting completely through the fibers of the material, particularly if the insole is composed of leather or similar fibrous materials.

Simultaneously with the operation of the vertical knife 30, the horizontal knife 32 is moved forwardly by its actuating mechanism, the cutting action of the horizontal knife starting an inch or so rearwardly of the heel breast line of the insole so that it will always be located rearwardly of the opposite end portions of the rib which extend rearwardly of the heel breast line of the insole into the heel seat portion thereof. The horizontal knife moves forwardly in a predetermined oblique path extending from left to right, as viewed from the front of the machine, and in substantially the plane of the ribbed face S of the insole to sever the opposite end portions of the rib and the reinforcing material F from the heel portion of said face forwardly at least to the heightwise out made by the vertical knife. As stated above and as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 8, inclusive, the horizontal knife 32 preferably reaches the heightwise cut at the heel breast line of the insole just after the vertical knife has moved out of the plane of the horizontal knife so that the two knives will pass each other quite closely without striking in the normal operation of the machine, this timing of the knives, however, being variable by the adjustment provided in the actuating mechanism by the bifurcated member 242, the block 240 and the clamping screw 244. The horizontal knife intersects the heightwise cut made by the vertical knife, as illustrated in Fig. 8, and passes a short distance beyond said out to insure that the severed materials will be completely detached or separated from the ribbed face of the insole. Immediately following the completion of the operation of the knives, they are swung back again into their open or retracted positions by their operating mecha nisms which, as explained above, operate through only one cycle by reason of the one-revolution clutch I46.

During the first part of the operating movement of the knives, that is, after the first quarter of the rotation of the driving shaft 536, the wedge-shaped cam 2 [4 (Fig. 12), associated with the clutch [46, engages the latch I98 and releases it from the block 264, thereby permitting the rod 112 to be elevated by the spring HS in ample time to prevent the possibility of the clutch repeating. The rod H2 is thus in position to engage the segmental wedge i645 and cam the lat ter forwardly to withdrawn the pin m6 from the projections I52, thereby throwing out the clut h after one revolution of the shaft W5 and stopping the operation of the machine.

After the cutting operation has been completed, the operator releases the treadle l is which allows the spring I96 to elevate the treadle and treadle rod 143 and withdraw the wedge 258, thereby permitting the spring 258 to lower the support 3 3 so that the operator can remove the insole and position a new insole upon the support.

gamma Release of the treadle also permits the latch I98 to ride upwardly past the block 204 on the rod I12 and thus be in a position to engage the block and lower the rod away from the clutch upon the next depression of the treadle. Since the operation of the machine is quite rapid, the operator is not actually obliged to hold the treadle depressed, but merely to depress the treadle at an ordinary or normal speed until it is depressed to the floor and then to release it, the operation of the knives being completed in the time it takes to depress the treadle its full distance.

It should be pointed out that the present machine is adapted to operate upon ribbed insoles before they have been reinforced with fabric material as well as after the reinforcing material has been applied thereto. In other words, a ribbed insole which has not had any reinforcing material applied to the inner side of the rib R or the inner channel C could be operated upon by the present machine, if desired, to cut and detach the opposite end portions of the rib R which extend rearwarclly of the heel breast line of the insole, thereby preparing the insole for receiving the reinforcing material which might then be applied to the rib and the adjacent body portion of the insole from the heel breast line at one side of the insole to the heel breast line at the opposite side thereof, these points having now been definitely established on the insole by the present machine. When operating upon an unreinforced insole, the horizontal knife could, through adjustment of the abutment 36, be positioned to cut substantially in the plane of the ribbed face S of the insole or, if desired, to cut in a plane located parallel to, but a short distance below, such face in order to remove a thin layer or skiving from the heel seat portion of the insole and thereby provide a smooth level surface at said heel seat portion.

It should also be pointed out that the present machine is adapted to operate upon insoles havin preformed ribbed strips or tape ribs attached thereto by cement or stitches, many of these in"- soles having attached tape ribs thereon which extend indeterminate distances rearwardly of the heel breast line into the heel seat portion of the insole. The machine can be adjusted to cut off and detach only the upstanding rib portions of the preformed ribbed strip or to cut off the rib portion and also the flange or base portion of the strip. If the preformed tape rib has been attached to the insole by stitches instead of cement, as is the case with some insoles in use today, the present machine will sever the stitches as well as the tape rib strip and thus detach the opposite end portions of the rib completely from the heel portion of the insole without damaging the ribbed face of the insole.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, means for supporting a reinforced ribbed insole with its ribbed face in position to be operated upon, a knife for making a cut heightwise of the insole through the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib approximately at the heel breast line of the insole, said out terminating substantially at said ribbed face, means for severing the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of said ribbed face forwardly to the heightwise cut, thereby detaching said reinforcing material and opposite end portions from the insole, means for actuating said knife, and separate means for actuating said severing means, said two last-named means being constructed and arranged to move said knife and said severing means in predetermined oblique paths which cause them to operate with a slicing action upon said reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib.

2. A machine for operating upon unattached soles having, in combination, rigid means for supporting a reinforced ribbed insole with its ribbed face exposed, a knife movable both heightwise and widthwise of the insole for making a transverse cut through the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the sewing rib at about the heel breast line of the insole, said knife cutting approximately flush with said ribbed face, and cutting means movable in substantially the plane of said ribbed face for severing therefrom the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib which extend rearwardly of said transverse cut, thereby detaching the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the insole rearwardly of its heel breast line.

3. A machine for operating upon soles having, incombination, a non-yieldable support for positioning and holding the rear portion of a reinforced ribbed insole in position to be operated upon with its ribbed face exposed, an oscillating knife arranged to move heightwise and widthwise of the insole to make a cut through the opposite end portions of the rib and the material reinforcing said rib and adjacent body portion of the insole at approximately the heel breast line thereof, said out extending transversely of the insole at least to said ribbed face, and an oscillating knife operable in substantially the plane of said ribbed face for severing the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of the insole forwardly to the transverse out, said last-named knife passing beyond said transverse cut to insure the complete detachment of the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the insole body rearwardly of its heel breast line.

4. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a support for a ribbed insole, a knife movable heightwise and widthwise of the insole for making a cut transversely thereof through the opposite end portions of the rib at approximately the heel breast line of the insole, a knife movable lengthwise and widthwise of the insole in substantially the plane of the ribbed face of the insole for severing the opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of said ribbed face forwardly at least to tire transverse cut, thereby completely detaching said end portions from the insole rearwardly of its heel breast line, a driving shaft, and means for actuating said knives from said driving shaft.

5. A machine for operating upon unattached soles having, in combination, a flat support for positioning and supporting an unattached reinfor ed ribbed insole in a flat position with its ribbed face exposed, means separate from the support for holding the insole thereon, an oscillating knife for making a transverse cut heightwise of the insole through the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib at substantially the heel breast line of the insole, said out extending at least to said ribbed face, an oscillating knife for severing the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of the insole in substantially the plane of said ribbed face forwardly at 21 least to said transverse cut, thereby completely severing said material and opposite end portions of the rib from the insole rearwardly of its heel breast line, and power-operated means for oscillating said knives in predetermined timed relation to each other.

6. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a rigid support for holding a reinforced ribbed insole with its ribbed face exposed, an abutment for clamping the insole on said support, a reciprocating knife for making a transverse cut heightwise of the insole through the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the sewing rib at about the heel breast line of the insole, said out terminating approximately at said ribbed face, a knife reciprocable in a plane substantially parallel to said ribbed face for cutting from the insole the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib which extend rearwardly of said transverse cut, said last-named knife passing beyond said transverse cut and thereby completely detaching said reinforcing material and opposite rib portions from the insole rearwardly of said heel breast line, and means for operating said knives constructed and arranged to move said last-named knif past the first-named knife immediately after completion of the transverse cut by said first-named knife.

7. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a support for positioning and supporting a reinforced ribbed insole with its ribbed surface exposed, an oscillating knife for making a transverse cut heightwise of the insole through the reinforcing material and the opposite end portions of the rib at about the heel breast line of the insole, said out terminating approximately at said ribbed surface, a second knife arranged to oscillate in a plane substantially parallel to said ribbed surface for severing the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of said surface forwardly to said transverse cut, said second knife passing beyond said transverse cut to insure the complete detachment of the severed materials from said heel portion, means for supporting the opposite end portions of the rib, and power-operated means for oscillating said knives constructed and arranged to cause the first knife to complete its operative stroke and commence to Withdraw immediately prior to the movement of the second knife past said transverse cut.

8. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a pair of knives arranged for operative movement in planes located substan tially at right angles to each other, a pair of pivoted arms for operating each knife and for maintaining the cutting edges of said knives constantly in parallel relation to each other during their operative movement, and means for oscillating said pairs of arms so that that the respective paths of the knives intersect each other, said means being constructed and arranged to oscillate each pair of arms in such timed relation to the other pair that the knives avoid contact with each other.

9. A machine for operating upon unattached soles having, in combination, a support for locating and holding a reinforced ribbed insole with its ribbed face in position to be operated upon, an oscillating knife for making a transverse cut heightwise of the insole through the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib at approximately the heel breast line of the insole, said knife terminating its out substantially flush withsaid ribbed face, an oscillating knife operable in a plane substantially parallel to said ribbed face for severing the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of the insole forwardly to said transverse out, said last-named knife continuing its operative movement beyond the transverse cut thereby completely separating the materials from the insole, and separate means for actuating each knife constructed and arranged to cause each knife to travel in a predetermined oblique path extending widthwise of the insole during its oscillating movement and thereby have a shearing effect upon said materials.

10. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a support for holding a reinforced ribbed insole with its ribbed surface exposed, means fcr clamping the insole on said support, means for moving the support relatively to said clamping means, a reciprocating knife for making a cut heightwise of the insole through the reinforcing material and the opposite end portions of the rib at substantially the heel breast line of the insole, said knife cutting at least to said ribbed surface, a knife reciprocable in a plane substantially parallel to said ribbed surface for severing said reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of the insole forwardly beyond said heightwise cut, thereby intersecting said heightwise cut and detaching the reinforcing and rib materials completely from the insole, and power-operated means for simultaneously reciprocating said knives in predetermined curved paths and in timed relation to each other to cause each knife to exert a slicing action upon the insole, said means being constructed and arranged to cause said knives to pass extremely close to each other Without striking during their operating movement.

11. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a support for holding a ribbed insole with its ribbed face exposed, a knife for making a cut heightwise of the insole through the opposite end portions of the rib at about the heel breast line of the insole, said out terminating adjacent to said ribbed face, a second knife for severing the opposite end portions of the rib from the heel seat portion of the insole forwardly at least to the first-named cut to detach the severed materials completely from the insole, means for actuating the first knife, means for actuating the second knife, connections be" tween said actuating means for causing the knives to operate in predetermined timed relation to each other, and means for adjusting said connections to vary said timed relation.

12. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a support for positioning and holding a reinforced ribbed insole with its ribbed face in position to be operated upon, a knife for making a cut heightwise of the insole through the reinforcing material and the opposite end portions of the rib at about the heel breast line of the insole, said out extending transversely of the insole and terminating approximately at said ribbed face, a second knife operable in a plane substantially parallel to said ribbed face for severing the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of the insole in substantially the plane of said ribbed face, said second knife having its cutting edge constantly parallel to the cut ting edge of the first knife and being arranged to travel forwardly beyond the transverse cut of said first knife to ensure the complete detachment of the materials from the insole, a crank for actuating the first knife, a crank for actuating the second knife, connections between said cranks for causing them to actuate the knives in predetermined timed relation to each other without striking, and means for adjusting said connections to vary said timed relation.

13. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, means for cutting and detaching the opposite end portions of a sewing rib from the heel portion of a ribbed insole forwardly to approximately its heel breast line, means for supporting said insole with its ribbed face in position to be operated upon by said cutting means, an abutment for clamping the insole on said supporting means, means carried by the abutment for supporting the opposite end portions of the rib, and means for effecting relative movement between the supporting means and abutment to clamp the insole on said supporting means.

14. A machine for operating upon unattached soles having, in combination, oscillating means for cutting and completely detaching the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of a sewing rib from the heel portion of a reinforced ribbed insole forwardly to about its heel breast line, means for supporting said insole with its ribbed face exposed and in position to be operated upon by said oscillating means, an abutment for clamping the insole on said supporting means, and manually-operated means for moving the supporting means relatively to the abutment to cause the latter to clamp the insole on said supporting means.

15. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, means for cutting and detaching the opposite end portions of a sewing rib from an insole rearwardly of its heel breast line, means for supporting said insole with its ribbed face in position to be operated upon by said cutting means, an abutment for clamping the insole on the supporting means, said abutment being normally spaced from said supporting means, means on said abutment for supporting the opposite end portions of the rib during the cutting operation, and treadle-operated means for moving the supporting means toward the abutment to clamp each insole thereon with its ribbed face in the same plane relatively to the cutting means irrespective of its thickness, said treadle-operated means acting also to maintain the supporting means in sole-clamping position during the cutting operation.

16. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, oscillating means for severing and completely detaching the opposite end portions of a rib from the heel portion of a ribbed insole forwardly to about the heel breast line of said insole, a movable support for holding the insole in position to be operated upon by said oscillating means, a stationary abutment for clamping the insole on said support, means normally holding the support away from said abutment, a wedge engaging said support, and means for moving the wedge relatively to the support to move the latter toward the abutment and cause said abutment to clamp the insole on the support, said last-named means serving also to re tain the support in sole-clamping position during the severing operation.

17. A machine for operating upon sol'es having, in combination, a plurality of knives arranged to oscillate in predetermined paths located at substantial angles to each other for severing and completely detaching from the heel portion of a reinforced ribbed insole the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib forwardly to about the heel breast line of the ins'ole, a support for positioning and holding the insole with its ribbed face in position to be operated upon by said knives, an abutment located in a predetermined position relatively to said knives, and means for effecting relative movement between the support and said abutment to clamp the insole on said support, said means positioning the ribbed face of the insole relatively to said knives so that the latter will detach the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the ribbed face of the insole without damaging said ribbed face irrespective of the thickness of the insole.

18. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a pair of knives reciprocable in oblique paths located substantially at right angles to each other for shearing and completely severing from the heel seat portion of a reinforced ribbed insole the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib forwardly to about the heel breast line of the insole, a poweroperated means for reciprocating said knives in said paths, a movable support for positioning and supporting the insole in position for its ribbed face to be operated upon by said knives, a stationary abutment initially spaced from said support and located in a predetermined position relatively to the paths of said knives, and treadleoperated means for moving the support toward said abutment to clamp the insole on said support, said abutment and support locating the ribbed face of the insole in a position in which the knives will shear the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the heel seat portion of said ribbed face forwardly to about the heel breast line of the insole irrespective of the thickness of said insole, said treadle-operated means serving also to hold the support in sole-clamping position during the severing operation.

19. A machine for operating upon unattached soles having, in combination, a pair of knives arranged to oscillate in predetermined paths located substantially at right angles to each other for cutting and detaching from the ribbed face of a reinforced ribbed insole the reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib at the heel portion of the insole forwardly to about its heel breast line, said knives having their cutting edges parallel at all times and terminating their cutting movements on substantially the same line in the insole, power-operated means for oscillating said knives, a support for bolding the ribbed face of the insole in position to be operated upon by said knives, a stationary abutment spaced from said support and located in a predetermined position relatively to the line on which the knives terminate their cutting movement, and manually-operated means for moving the support toward said abutment to clamp the insole on said support, said abutment locating the ribbed face of the insole in a position relatively to said knives in which the latter will out and detach said reinforcing material and opposite end portions of the rib from the ribbed face of the insole without damaging the body portion of the insole irrespective of the thickness of said body portion.

20. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a knife for making a cut heightwise of a ribbed insole through the opposite end portions of the rib at approximately the heel breast line of the insole, said out terminating substantially at the ribbed face of the insole, cutting means operable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said ribbed face for severing said opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of said ribbed face forwardly to the heightwise out, said means be ing arranged to pass beyond said heightwise cut to detach said end portions completely from the insole, means having a generally flat roughened surface thereon for positioning said insole in a single plane with its ribbed face exposed in a position to be operated upon by said knife and cutting means, and means cooperating with the positioning means for holding the insole in such position.

21. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a knife for making a cut heightwise of a ribbed insole through the opposite end portions of the rib at the rear portion of the ribbed face of the insole, said out terminating substantially at said ribbed face, cutting means operable substantially in the plane of said ribbed face for severing the opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of the insole forwardly to the heightwise out, said cutting means being arranged to pass beyond said heightwise cut to detach said end portions of the rib completely from the insole, a support for holding the insole while it is being operated upon by said knife and cutting means, means for positioning said support relatively to the knife and cutting means, and means separate from the support for locating the insole on said support in a position in which said knife will make said heightwise cut substantially at the heel breast line of the insole.

22. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a knife having a straight cutting edge for making a cut heightwise of a ribbed insole through the opposite end portions of the rib at about the heel breast line of the insole, said cut terminating substantially at the ribbed face of the insole, cutting means operable substantially in the plane of said ribbed face for severing the opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of said ribbed face forwardly to the heightwise out, said means being arranged to pass beyond said heightwise cut to detach said opposite rib portions completely from the insole, a flat support for holding the ribbed face of the insole in a single flat plane while it is being operated upon by said knife and cut ting means, a gage separate from the support for locating the insole on said support in a position in which the knife will make said heightwise cut substantially at the heel breast line of the in sole, and means independent of the support for adjusting said gage toward and away from said support in a plane parallel to the plane of said ribbed face.

23. A machine for operating upon unattached soles having, in combination, a knife for making a cut heightwise of a ribbed insole through the opposite end portions of the rib at about the heel breast line of the insole, said out terminating adjacent to the ribbed face of the insole, cutting means operable substantially in the plane of said ribbed face for severing the opposite end portions of the rib from the heel portion of the insole forwardly to said heightwise cut, said means being arranged to pass beyond the heightwise cut to detach the opposite rib portions completely from the insole, a support for the insole, a gage adjacent to the support for locating the heel portion of the insole in a position in which the knife will make its heightwise cut substantially at the heel breast line of the insole, manually-operated means for adjusting said gage relatively to the support to accom modate insoles of different lengths, and means for maintaining said gage in adjusted position.

24. A machine for operating upon soies having, in combination, means for cutting and deaching the opposite end portions of a sewingrib from the heel portion of a ribbed insole forwardly to about its heel breast line, power-operated means for actuating said means, a support for holding the insole in a position to be operated upon by the cutting means, said support being initially spaced below said cutting means but being movable heightwise into operative position relatively thereto, a clutch for driving said power-operated means, and means for moving the support heightwise into said opera tive position and for tripping said clutch.

25. A machine for operating upon soles having, in combination, a pair of knives for cutting and completely detaching the opposite end portions of a sewing rib from the heel portion of a ribbed insole forwardly to about its heel breast line, power-operated means including cranks for actuating said knives in predetermined paths in timed relation to each other, a movable support spaced from said knives for supporting the insole with its ribbed face in position to be operated upon, a one-revolution clutch for driving said power-operated means, and single means for moving said support into operative position relatively to said knives and for thereafter tripping said clutch, said single means acting also to hold the support in said operative position during the operation of said knives.

26. A machine for operating upon soles hav ing, in combination, a pair of oscillating knives movable at substantial angles to each other for cutting and completely detaching from the heel portion of a reinforced ribbed insole the opposite end portions of the rib and the fabric material reinforcing said heel portion and said rib forwardly to about the heel breast line of the insole, said knives oscillating in predetermined oblique paths which intersect each other in a plane adjacent to the ribbed face of the insole, thereby completely slicing said reinforcing material and opposite rib portions from said ribbed face, power-operated means for oscillating said knives in predetermined timed relation to each other, a support movable relatively to said knives for holding the insole with its heel portion in position to be operated upon, a stationary abutment spaced from said support for clamping the insole thereon, a single-revolution clutch for driving said power-operated means, and treadle-operated means for first moving the support toward said abutment to clamp the insole on the support and for thereafter tripping said clutch, said treadle-operated means including a wedge constructed and arranged to move the support toward said abutment and then to maintain said support in operative position during the oscillation of said knives.

27. A machine for operating upon soles hav ing, in combination, a knife for making a cut in a plane extending heightwise of a sole, a second knife for making a cut in a plane substan- 

